Sourdough Cookies (Easy Recipe with Dairy Free Option) (2024)

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These sourdough cookies are naturally fermented so they are easy to make and easy to digest. They're also a great way to use up sourdough discard.

Even the kids will enjoy these cookies. (They don't taste too sour – honest.) The texture is soft and cake-like, with a delicate crumb.

Sourdough Cookies (Easy Recipe with Dairy Free Option) (1)

Ideally, the recipe needs to ferment for at least eight hours. This allows the sourdough to work its magic fermenting power on the flour. I usually mix the flour one day and bake the next day. You could mix in the morning and finish later in the day.

Tips on Ingredients

I like granulated cane sugar for baking because it browns more evenly than beet sugar. You can also use brown sugar or maple sugar.

It's fine to use discard starter or active starter, made with wheat flour or rye flour. I normally use whole wheat flour, but all purpose flour is okay.

If you need to go dairy free, use coconut oil or responsibly raised palm shortening.

Flavor Ideas for Your Sourdough Cookies

My guys like sourdough chocolate chip cookies best, but you can also modify the basic recipe to make:

  • oatmeal raisin (add 1/2 cup oatmeal along with the flour)
  • cherry chocolate oatmeal (add 1/4 cup dried cherries, 1/4 cup chocolate chunks, and 1/2 cup oatmeal)
  • cinnamon apple (add 1/4 cup dried apple bits and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon)
  • white chocolate almond (add 1/4 cup white chocolate chips, 1/4 cup slivered almonds, and 1/4 teaspoon almond extract)
  • peanut butter chocolate chip (add 1/4 cup peanut butter and 1/4 cup chocolate chips)

Use your imagination and try different combinations!

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Note – if you plan to mix in moist ingredients like peanut butter, make sure your dough is quite stiff before fermenting. Adding oatmeal helps to keep your sourdough cookies from spreading too flat.

Basic Sourdough Cookies

Start with the basic sourdough cookie recipe, then customize it with family favorite ingredients.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup sourdough starter
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 1 to 1-1/3 cups flour
  • 2/3 cup granulated cane sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • chocolate chunks, dried fruit, or crispy nuts (optional)

Directions

In a medium sized bowl, combine sourdough starter and butter.

Add one cup of flour. Mix well. Continue adding flour a little at a time, mixing well after each addition, until you get a very stiff dough.

Cover with a kitchen towel and allow to sour at room temperature for 8 or more hours.

The photos below show the basic dough before and after souring. It puffs up a little but, but doesn't raise like bread.

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Preheat your oven to 375 °F and get your baking sheet ready. Grease the baking sheet or line with parchment paper.

Mix egg, sugar, vanilla, sea salt and baking powder in a separate bowl. (Hold the baking soda for a bit.)

Note – the recipe video shows all the dry ingredients being added at once. This works, but your sourdough cookies are likely to be a bit flatter.

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Pour the egg mixture over the top of your soured dough. Blend well (I use my hands).

When dough is well mixed, add chocolate, fruit, etc, blend thoroughly. Lastly, sprinkle the baking soda over the top and mix well.

Drop by spoonfuls onto a cookie sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until bottoms are lightly brown and tops are soft set.

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Cool completely on a wire rack. Store in an airtight container with wax paper between layers.

Makes around 2-3 dozen cookies, depending on the size.

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I usually make a double batch to make sure we have enough.

These sourdough cookies are a little crispier when they first come out of the oven. If you must have a crisp cookie, pop them in the dehydrator for a few hours, or warm in the toaster oven for a few minutes.

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Sourdough Cookies (Easy Recipe with Dairy Free Option)

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These sourdough cookies are naturally fermented so they are easy to make and easy to digest. They’re also a great way to use up sourdough discard.

  • Author: Laurie Neverman
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 25 minutes
  • Yield: 2 dozen 1x
  • Category: Dessert

Ingredients

UnitsScale

  • 1/2 cup sourdough starter
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened or coconut oil
  • 1 to 1-1/3 cups flour
  • 2/3 cup granulated cane sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • chocolate chunks, dried fruit, or crispy nuts (optional)

Instructions

  1. In a medium sized bowl, combine sourdough starter and butter.
  2. Add one cup of flour. Mix well. Continue adding flour a little at a time, mixing well after each addition, until you get a very stiff dough.
  3. Cover with a kitchen towel and allow to sour at room temperature for 8 or more hours.
  4. Preheat your oven to 375 °F and get your baking sheet ready. Grease the baking sheet or line with parchment paper.
  5. Mix egg, sugar, vanilla, sea salt and baking powder in a separate bowl. (Hold the baking soda for a bit.)
  6. Pour the egg mixture over the top of your soured dough. Blend well (I use my hands).
  7. When dough is well mixed, add chocolate, fruit, etc, blend thoroughly. Lastly, sprinkle the baking soda over the top and mix well.
  8. Drop by spoonfuls onto a cookie sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until bottoms are lightly brown and tops are soft set.
  9. Cool completely on a wire rack. Store in an airtight container with wax paper between layers.
  10. Makes around 2-3 dozen cookies, depending on the size.

Notes

My guys like sourdough chocolate chip cookies best, but you can also modify the basic recipe to make:

  • oatmeal raisin (add 1/2 cup oatmeal along with the flour)
  • cherry chocolate (add 1/4 cup dried cherries and 1/4 cup chocolate chunks)
  • cinnamon apple (add 1/4 cup dried apple bits and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon)
  • white chocolate almond (add 1/4 cup white chocolate chips, 1/4 cup slivered almonds, and 1/4 teaspoon almond extract)
  • peanut butter chocolate chip (add 1/4 cup peanut butter and 1/4 cup chocolate chips)
  • Use your imagination and try different combinations!

If you plan to mix in moist ingredients like peanut butter, make sure your dough is quite stiff before fermenting.Adding oatmeal helps to keep your sourdough cookies from spreading too flat.

Sourdough Cookies (Easy Recipe with Dairy Free Option) (8)

How to Make a Sourdough Starter and More Sourdough Recipes

Using sourdough is a great way to get more nutrition out of your baked goods. You can learn how to make your own sourdough starter in the Easy Sourdough Bread Recipe post.

Other sourdough recipes on this website include:

  • Cheesy Garlic Sourdough Crackers
  • Sourdough Brownies

This recipe is adapted from the Sourdough A to Z e-book. I can't recommend this book strongly enough.

Sourdough Cookies (Easy Recipe with Dairy Free Option) (9)

The book also includes how to start your own sourdough starter, dozens of recipes, gluten free sourdough and so much more. Whatever baked good you are looking for, they probably have a sourdough version in this book.

You can also find even more recipes on the Recipes and Kitchen Tips page.

Last updated in 2020.

Sourdough Cookies (Easy Recipe with Dairy Free Option) (2024)

FAQs

Is sourdough dairy-free? ›

Generally speaking, sourdough is dairy-free. The essential ingredients of sourdough don't require dairy, but certain sweet sourdough milk bread varieties replace water with cow's milk. If so, the dairy will likely be labeled.

Does sourdough starter need milk? ›

No, traditional sourdough bread contains just flour, water and salt (and of course sourdough starter). Milk is not necessary to make delicious sourdough bread. But like most things, it can be added to sourdough to change the crumb, crust and flavor.

Is sourdough bread good for you? ›

Sourdough bread is also an excellent source of antioxidants. Studies have shown that antioxidants like the peptides found in sourdough can lower the risk for certain types of cancer, signs of aging, or chronic diseases like rheumatoid arthritis.

Does sourdough bread contain lactose? ›

In summary, sourdough bread is inherently dairy-free because it is primarily made from flour, water, a sourdough starter (which is usually dairy-free), and salt. The fermentation process relies on wild yeast and lactic acid bacteria, which are also dairy-free.

Is Pepperidge Farm sourdough bread dairy free? ›

CONTAINS: WHEAT, MILK, SOY.

Which bread is dairy free? ›

Eban's Bakehouse Fresh Baked Gluten-Free Flaxseed Oat Bread - 4 Loaves - 100% Natural - Soy, Wheat and Dairy Free, Preservative Free, Non-GMO (26oz, 737g Each)

Should I put sugar in my sourdough starter? ›

The yeast and bacteria in your sourdough starter actually feed off the sugar from the starches in the flour. They essentially don't need any extra food. In fact, while adding sugar to the dough may provide "fast food" for your sourdough yeast, this quick food source is unlikely to provide any protein.

Why do you discard sourdough starter when you feed it? ›

If you don't get rid of the excess, eventually you'll have more starter than your feedings can sustain. After a few days, your daily 1/4 cup flour and water won't be enough to sustain your entire jar of starter, and your starter will be slow and sluggish, not much better than discard itself.

Can you use yogurt as a sourdough starter? ›

For this starter, use real yoghurt that's been made with a yoghurt strain, not yoghurt that is made with a probiotic capsule. Or purchase a plain or greek pot set yoghurt. Nothing with flavours in it. So if you've made sourdough before.

Is sourdough bread anti-inflammatory? ›

The best bread to reduce gut inflammation is bread made from whole grains. Refined grains, such as the grains found in white bread and white pasta, are known to increase inflammation across the whole body. Sourdough bread and rye bread are both good options for an anti-inflammatory diet.

What is the healthiest flour for sourdough bread? ›

Compared to whole wheat flour, rye flour is said to be the most nutrient- and amylase-dense option for a sourdough starter. Overall, it has a lower gluten protein content than wheat flour, which means it produces slack, sticky, and dense doughs.

Does sourdough bread spike blood sugar? ›

Sourdough bread is made through a slow fermentation process, which may cause this type of bread to raise blood sugar more slowly than other breads. As a result, sourdough bread could be a great choice for those with diabetes. Whole grain sourdough bread is the best sourdough bread for diabetics.

Why does my stomach hurt after eating sourdough bread? ›

This may be due to the fermentation process, which can create more gas than other types of bread. Additionally, some people may be sensitive to the high amount of fiber in sourdough bread or have an allergic reaction to the ingredients used in the bread.

Does peanut butter have dairy? ›

Despite the name, peanut butter does not contain any dairy butter. Also, peanuts, being nondairy products, don't contain any lactose themselves. Most natural peanut butter is safe to eat if you're lactose-intolerant.

Is Aldi sourdough bread dairy free? ›

Is it Milk Free? Yes!

Does cobs sourdough contain dairy? ›

Good news: all of our breads contain no added preservatives, and our Healthy breads contain no added sugar or dairy.

Is sourdough bread allergy free? ›

Sourdough is not gluten free, but we know that many people with IBS, gluten intolerance, or gluten sensitivity can tolerate sourdough bread. This is because the methods used to make sourdough break down some of the gluten in the flour so it is easier to digest. Think of sourdough as low-gluten rather than gluten-free.

Is sourdough bread good for breastfeeding? ›

The sourdough fermentation process also increases folate levels in the bread. Folate is an essential micronutrient for both during and after pregnancy (especially if breastfeeding) as it is a B group vitamin needed for a baby's healthy growth and development.

Does sourdough bread have butter? ›

Enriched sourdough bread refers to any type of sourdough bread that includes fats and sugars. These can include butter, milk, eggs, honey or buttermilk. Common types of enriched sourdough bread include soft sandwich breads, hamburger rolls, brioche loaves and buns and challah.

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